Sylvain Blassel / New York Times

« Bach’s ‘Goldberg’ as You’ve Never Heard It »

Bach, though an energetic transcriber of other composers’ music, could never have imagined the stampede of arrangers his own scores would attract in a distant future. His “Goldberg” Variations, written for a two-manual harpsichord in 1742, have been widely coveted since Glen Gould’s landmark 1955 recording on the piano: interpreted and misinterpreted by pianists, jazz trios, guitarists, accordionists, saxophone quartets and others. Now one harpist have entered the fray with a recording of his own transcriptions.

Transcribing the “Goldberg” Variations for harp is tricky because of the mechanics of the instrument. Performers use seven pedals (one for each note of the diatonic scale) to change the pitches of the strings. So it is hard to play, for example, the chromatic 25th variation, which requires impossibly fast footwork on the harp.

The French harpist Sylvain Blassel, for his recording on the Lontano label, plays the original score (unmodified except for a six-note chromatic passage) on a 1904 Érard harp.

There is much to commend on this CD offering expressive, virtuoso performances that illuminate the myriad moods and depth of the 30 variations. But listeners who enjoy Bach on the harpsichord — or on the piano with a crisp touch and minimal pedal — will like Mr. Blassel’s rendition.

Mr. Blassel’s slower interpretation of that number sounds crisper. His moderately paced version of the fifth variation also sounds really clean.

The less brash sound on Mr. Blassel’s reveals a more introspective, intimate interpretation that renders his performance a more natural fit for the harp.

Some listeners might wonder whether more recordings of the variations on novelty instruments are necessary, and purist fans might feel that harpists are trespassing on hallowed ground. But devotees of those instruments will be thrilled to enjoy Bach’s masterpiece on familiar territory.